This week we’re delighted to be joined once again for an exclusive interview (and special surprise!) with Northe American Veterinary Community (NAVC) CEO Gene O’Neill.

Gene gives hosts Dr. Ernie Ward and Beckie Mossor, RVT an update on the 2021 VMX conference June 5-9, 2021, the health and safety precautions that will be in place, and what you can expect when you arrive.

Gene then discusses the strategic shift and focus for NAVC. Gene reveal his vision to make NAVC a year-round veterinary CE destination accessible to all veterinary professionals. The focus on “micro-learning” opportunities, regular and monthly CE events, and the ability to engage with experts both in-person and virtually are just a few of the exciting initiatives we can expect from NAVC over the next couple of years.

Gene then takes Dr. Ward and Beckie on a virtual tour of the upcoming NAVC immersive 3D CE platform. He teases the coming expansion of veterinary CE into virtual reality (VR) and explains why the virtual platform matters for a more enjoyable and effective educational experience.

Dr. Ward likens the experience to the Oasis from “Ready Player One” and expresses how “familiar” the 3D experience is to him. Beckie emphasizes the importance of fostering community, whenever online or in real life. Both our hosts left the simulation impressed and excited for the future of a “Virtual NAVC.”

Viewfinders, what do you think about virtual CE? Is it here to stay or will it disappear as soon as the pandemic is over? Are you interested in a 3D immersive CE experience? Did you read or watch "Ready Player One?" How about "Armada" or "Ready Player Two?" Asking for a friend... Share your thoughts!

Once again, over the past couple of weeks, the US veterinary profession has been devastated by news of a series of suicides by colleagues. This week we speak with the President of Not One More Vet (NOMV) Dr. Carrie Jurney to find out what we can do to help prevent suicides in veterinary medicine.

Co-hosts Dr. Ernie Ward and Beckie Mossor, RVT have a candid conversation about the current trends in suicide both in the US and abroad, the warning signs of self-harm, and simple steps you can do to help a colleague or loved on tin need.

This episode also discusses some of the reasons veterinary professionals may be at greater risk of suicidal ideation and depression, and the impact student debt has on overall wellbeing.

Viewfinders, this is a tough topic we need to keep talking about until we no longer receive news about losing another friend, coworker, or colleague.

Have you ever been told to “quiet down the laughter” in your clinic? What about “lighten up on the good vibes and get serious”? Can you be playful, happy, and joyous and still be productive and provide excellent patient care? Well, yeah.

This week hosts Dr. Ernie Ward and Beckie Mossor, RVT discuss what happens when management kills the joy of working in a veterinary clinic. Whether a clinic’s leadership means to or not, by discouraging playful interactions between coworkers, they may be contributing to burnout, poor productivity, and even suboptimal patient care. No bueno.

Dr. Ward shares some interesting studies of Navy SEALS and the neurobiology of laughter and joy and why “a happy treatment area is a productive one.” Science.

Beckie digs deep into how veterinary ER teams rely on humor to get through stressful times and how keeping things light can benefit your clinic.

Viewfinders, this is another important topic that isn’t discussed enough in the veterinary profession. How do you find joy and humor in your work? Let us know!

It’s been quite the year for being short-staffed due to sickness in veterinary clinics. COVID-19, seasonal flu, curbside practice and the enormous emotional toll veterinary professionals are paying have led to workplace shortages. And even shorter tempers.

Hosts Dr. Ernie Ward and Beckie Mossor, RVT discuss how to deal with unexpected staff shortages in veterinary practice. Whether due to physical illness or emotional depletion, how can your team prepare for last-minute “call-in sick?”

Our hosts share personal stories, experiences, and solutions that every team needs to hear. Whether you work with 150 or 5 co-workers, there’s at least one tip you can apply to your personal life and professional environment in this week’s episode.

As Beckie says, “If you’re struggling, rewind this podcast and play it for your manager or owner!”

Stay safe and sane out there, Viewfinders! Let us know how you deal with being short-staffed due to sickness in your clinic!

If you're a licensed veterinary technician, how'd you like to earn a salary that’s 50% higher than the industry average?

This week our guest is Jesse Longo, LVT from New York City's Bond Vet, and he says vet techs can make up to $42 per hour at the clinic he works for under an innovative program they're calling the Nurse Elevation Program.

Hosts Dr. Ernie Ward and Beckie Mossor, RVT learn Jesse's story of how he switched from history teacher to LVT, from ASPCA to Bond Vet, and how he's helping to elevate the earning potential of fellow vet techs.

Viewfinders, this is an interesting conversation you don't want to miss!

Share this episode with your friends and colleagues and tell us what you think! $42/hour? Why not?

Workplace divisions have been a challenge in veterinary practices for ages. But are tensions rising and has the source of conflict changed over the past few years?

We’re living through a highly divisive and politically-charged time in the US and around the globe. And, oh yeah, there's also a pandemic to deal with. This week, hosts Dr. Ernie Ward and Beckie Mossor, RVT explore how the external world’s issues are creating conflict and volatility within veterinary clinics. This is truly a tough topic!

The duo discuss the recent popularity of masks, mugs, t-shirts, and even jewelry that proclaim political and social justice statements. They ask whether or not the veterinary clinic is the appropriate context to make a political or social justice stand? You don’t want to miss this conversation!

Dr. Ward expresses his concern that social media has given many permission to behave disrespectfully toward others and spread distrust. Beckie shares that her father even “unfriended” her on social media due to political disagreements! And you don’t want to miss Beckie’s rant against football!

Finally, the pair offer several solutions to help veterinary teams reclaim cohesion and unite. While there are no easy answers to these complex issues, we believe by openly confronting and discussing them, we can make positive change during these turbulent times.

Viewfinders, what are your thoughts on this topic? Are you experiencing heightened tensions between coworkers in your clinic? How are you coping and overcoming these issues?

It’s hard to scroll your social media feeds these days without running across a veterinary professional poking fun at pet parents. But what happens when “funny” crosses into “offensive,” “hurtful,” or client shaming? Have some veterinary professionals taken TikTok too far?

This week, hosts Dr. Ernie Ward and Beckie Mossor, RVT tackle the recent uptick in veterinary social media content aimed at showcasing pet parent demands, questions, and other miscommunication and misunderstandings. Many of these posts and videos are clever and serve a positive purpose, but others seem to only belittle an humiliate otherwise caring and well-intentioned clients. What are the true motivators behind these posts and how we can cope in healthier ways? Are some of our colleagues posting these videos in a pursuit of “likes” and followers” without regard for potential impacts on the profession? Where are the professional boundaries and what happens when our colleagues cross them? As Beckie says about today’s episode, “It kind of turns into a little therapy session.”

Viewfinders, this is an important topic we hope will spark conversations throughout the profession. What do you think about our concerns? What about our suggestions? And finally, what are you doing , as Dr. Ward advocates, to “tilt toward optimism” and promote positive messages in your personal and practice life?

Ben & Jerry's Doggie Desserts! Need we say more?

This week we're thrilled to bring you the Certified Veterinary Technician (CVT) behind Ben & Jerry's newest product, Doggie Desserts, Lindsay Bumps, CVT!

Lindsay Bumps, CVT is a Global Marketing Specialist (and canine culture expert for the "K9 to 5'ers" - you have to listen to find out!) for Ben & Jerry's in Vermont. Lindsay shares her story from childhood 4H and horse lover to vet tech school to private practice and how she arrived at Ben & Jerry's nearly 10 years ago.

Hosts Dr. Ernie Ward and Beckie Mossor, RVT drool over her ice cream stories. Lindsay also shares practical life advice for anyone facing burnout or challenges in veterinary medicine. As Lindsay says, "I've been there, too!"

Viewfinders, we're honored to share Lindsay's unique and powerful story with you.

What do you think about Ben & Jerry's Doggie Desserts? Be sure to listen to the very end for a special request from Lindsay (Twitter: @Bumpsie027 and LinkedIn).

Share pics of your doggos enjoying B&J Doggie Desserts (or you!).

We spend hours each week typing in medical records, SOAPs, client communications, and email. What if we could simply tell our computers what to type? Talkatoo allows veterinary professionals to harness cloud-based AI to dictate their medical records with ease. While this may sound like an informercial, this episode is NOT sponsored… we just believe our colleagues need to know about this time-saving technology! (*But if you’re interested in sponsoring the show… Beckie said let us know!*)

This week we’re joined by the founder and CEO of Talkatoo, Shawn Wilkie. Shawn joins Dr. Ernie Ward and Beckie Mossor, RVT to share how he entered the veterinary industry, the origins of Talkatoo, and how veterinary professionals around the globe are saving time and effort with this innovative technology.

Dr. Ward and Beckie both have been using Talkatoo in their daily lives (we’re using it right now) and have found it to be incredibly useful, accurate, and saved a lot of effort!

Shawn also shares a special giveaway to Viewfinder listeners so be sure to listen to the entire episode to find out how you can enter to when Talkatoo for your clinic!

Viewfinders, we bring you unsponsored content such as this because we feel you need to know how to make your life a little less stressful so you can get home to your life sooner!

What do you think about dictation technology? Is this something you’d like to use in your practice? Have you tried dictation services in the past? If so, and you didn’t find it helpful, you really owe it to yourself to try this next-generation AI-enabled dictation!

Visit www.talkatoo.com for more information.

Welcome to 2021! So far, it seems even weirder and more chaotic than 2020!

This week hosts Dr. Ernie Ward and Beckie Mossor, RVT report on recent curbside innovations from veterinary professionals around the country and how our profession is handling the stress that is January 2021.

Beckie shares the importance of “Communicating above the nose!” And how creative makeup, glamorous glasses, and “fun masks” can make your team more approachable by pet parent and pets.

Client complaints continue to affect our colleagues and negatively impact morale in veterinary clinics. Dr. Ward and Beckie share a few stories of how veterinary professionals are handling emergencies and providing exceptional care despite what a “vocal minority” of disgruntled pet parents may post online.

Dr. Ward expresses his concern that current events will erode trust in social media, and why it’s more important than ever to regain control of our client communication channel. Dr. Ward encourages veterinary clinics to reduce their reliance on Facebook and Instagram to attract and engage with clients. This is a story that we believe will gain more importance during the upcoming months.

COVID vaccination rollouts to veterinary professionals are being reported and our hosts reflect on the importance of veterinary professionals being immunized.

Virtual conferences will be the more for at least the first half of 2021. Dr. Ward and Beckie predict what will happen in the latter half of 2021 and which CE changes may be permanent. Beckie also teases the Viewfinders with news about her 2021 Vet Team Global Stream conference (vtgsconference.com).

Veterinary pharmaceutical, food and distributor representatives are still largely unable to meet with clinics in-person and it continues to affect how veterinary clinics receive information on new products and offers. Despite these persistent challenges, many veterinary sales reps are getting creative and keeping their clinics apprised of development - and stocked with pens (Beckie said that).

Viewfinders, we’re confident 2021 is going to be a great year for the veterinary profession! Do you share our optimism? Tell us why or why not! How is your team handling the stress of the chaotic news cycle? What’s your favorite mask? We want to hear from you!

Burnout affects every veterinary professional, regardless of where they work, what they do, or how old or educated they are. This week we’re thrilled to share the mic with Dr. Ivan Zak as he shares insights from his recent veterinary burnout research.

Hosts Dr. Ernie Ward and Beckie Mossor, RVT are joined by Dr. Ivan “Zak” Zakharenkov, a veterinarian who recently conducted his MBA dissertation on “Veterinary Burnout.” Dr. Zak reviews the difference between burnout, compassion fatigue, depression and other psychological challenges faced by all veterinary professionals.

The trio tackle the differences between staff burnout in independent versus corporate veterinary clinics, which age groups are more likely to experience burnout, and why veterinary technicians may face additional risks. How to recognize burnout both in yourself and your colleagues is also a highlight of the conversation.

Several solutions are discussed in addition to how better “lean management” principles can help your team avoid burnout and achieve harmony.

Viewfinders, this is an important conversation to have as we enter a new year - and new decade. How are you handling burnout in your clinic? Have you experienced burnout or have your colleagues? Share your thoughts and experiences with us on our social media channels.

Happy New Year! 2021 is here… now what?

This week hosts Dr. Ernie Ward and Beckie Mossor, RVT share their lessons from 2020 and how they each set - and accomplish - goals for the new year.

The duo reflect on the wins and losses for the veterinary profession in 2020 and what they’re looking forward to in 2021. Dr. Ward expresses his hope for a better post-pandemic world and Beckie offers practical advice for anyone who wants to level up their lives in 2021.

We think you’ll find simple ways to set goals and find inspiration in the lessons learned from 2020.

Stay safe, Viewfinders, and we’ll talk to you in 2021!